Thank you all for joining us for this insightful webinar and for a wonderful evening of learning about “Using Fire and Tools” with Niki Buchan. Niki Buchan, CEO, Managing Director, and International Educational Consultant, led the session, highlighting the unexpected advantages of supporting children to use real tools and participate in fire-building activities. She shared how these engaging, hands-on experiences support children in self-regulating their emotions, reducing stress, and fostering a deeper sense of ecological responsibility for their environmental practices. We appreciate your participation and hope you found the discussion valuable.
Eco-Emotions webinar series reflective course
We’re excited to announce the launch of the *Eco-Emotions webinar series reflective course*, now available for free to members on the Early Childhood Ireland Learning Hub! This course offers a valuable opportunity for your professional development, providing insights and practical strategies that will benefit both you and your team as you delve deeper into this important topic—even if you didn’t attend the webinars.
Explore three reflective lessons, each aligned with webinars from the series:
Nurturing Nature – Cothú an Dúlra: This lesson explores the essential role of fostering respect for the natural world in early childhood. Supporting children connect with and appreciate nature lays the groundwork for sustainable habits throughout their lives. Educators have the important responsibility of modelling positive attitudes toward nature, providing strong role models to inspire children’s own connections. This lesson highlights engaging children with fire and tools as avenues for exploration and emotional regulation. A journey to uncover practical strategies that nurture curiosity, responsibility, and resilience in young learners unfolds.
Eco-Emotions and the Reggio Emilia Approach: Discover the transformative power of the Reggio Emilia Approach in nurturing young minds and promoting sustainability. Explore the ‘Imagine a Forest’ project, uncover strategies for amplifying children’s voices, and empower the next generation to be environmental leaders through the lens of Reggio Emilia children.
Supporting Self-Regulation in Children: This lesson supports educators understand the profound impact of self-regulation on young children. Educators will explore the brain’s crucial role in managing emotions and behaviours, shedding light on Dr Stuart Shanker’s Self-Reg Framework. Educators will discover practical, evidence-based strategies to empower children to develop emotional regulation, and learn how connecting with nature can be a powerful tool in reducing stress and fostering well-being.
To access these insightful reflections, simply click the button below
Children have the potential to learn and grow through experiences in the outdoors and children who feel more connected with the environment have been found to be less likely to harm it in the future (Shultz 2002;Frantz and Mayer 2004)
